Hutch for small livestock



Feb. 17, 1948. ssm' 2,436,095 i HUTCH FOR SMALL LIVESTOCK Filed Jan. 11, 1946 l I 1 1. .1 w

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MrZuyH Brassh Patented Feb. 17, 1948 UNI TED STATES; PATENT OFFICE 2,436,095 H-UTCH "FOR SMALL LIVESTOCK Merlin H. Brossia, Whittier, Calif. ApplicationJanuary '11, 1946, Serial .No'. 640,439

My invention relates to a coop or hutch for small livestock, as-chickens; rabbits and the like, and it has especial reference to a unit housing thatmay be arrangedin multiples to provide a after a. predetermined :period' 01' time'within have consumed which the stock is calculated to a sufiicient quantity.

-.A still 'furtheriohject of the invention'is :to provide .a .unit hutch in which the feed hoppers may be. readily and quickly .acleanedof dust, feed frag mentsxand residual accumulations.

My invention :also has for its .objectsto provide such means in connection with a:hutch, that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily assembled,- economical of manufacture, relatively,

simple, and of general superiority and. serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel detailsroi construction and novel combinations-of and Jarrangements of parts, which will more :fully appear in the-course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the .following description merelydescribesoneembodimentof the ;invention, which :is given by way of;

illustration or example only.

In thedrawing; like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig; 1 is a plan view showing my invention; Fig. 2 is. a front .eleva tion'- paltlv broken to mus trate parts otherwise-hidden.

Fig. '3 is a section on line 3-3-0 in the direction of the arrow.

Referring particularly to the drawing, l-Odesignates an enclosure, composed of the rear wall I I, side walls I2, and reticulate bottom 13,- con,-

nected together in usual manner to form ahutch, with a cover l4-that is suggested in Fig. 3, butisomitted from Fig. 1 for purposes of clarity.

The .front of theside walls I2 is connected by-a pair of r a l s a ed, horiz n al m l and 8 Claims. (Cl. 119-18 H), which provides an opening ing are fitted hoppers l8 and f8 which project beyond the front of the 'hutch. Each of" thehoppers isformed of side members 1'9 and'20;

the members lllbeing arranged to be nailed or otherwise fastenedto the sides 12 of the hutch;

and the members Zllbeing spaced from each othersand secured in spaced relationto a bar. orblock 2| interposed partly between said side- 'members" 20, which at their "inner .ends provide a :spacel-Z. Thisspaoe co-operates with a guide meansi23 xon'thezrear. Wall of thevhutch to provide.

guide ways fora slideablepartition 24, .thatmay: be used to divide the 'hutchinto two compartments A and B, each of which is provided with a 'hopperorfunnel for difierent feeds, as hereinafter explained The outer wall of the hoppers is provided by an inwardly inclined board 25 and v a vertical strip-26, that are common to both hoppers, .Said outer wall members 25 and 26 are relatively stationary.

The bottoms of the funnels or hoppers are plates 21 and 28 that are slidably mounted on the bottom rail l6. and which, at their inner ends, "cozowopera'te with fixed abutment members 29 and 30,

Fig. 2, looking carried on the inner edges of the respective plates 21 and 28, to for-m troughs into which the feed is delivered through the chutes or hoppers. Springs 3! and '32, respectively, are employed to hold said plates 21 and 28 against said abutment members 29 and 30. These plates are withdrawable, against the action of .the springs-3f and'32, with respect to theabutment members and the bottoms of the hoppers. This withdrawing movement causes the bottom of the wall member 25 to scrape the top of the plates 21' and 28, to

cause particles thereon, as well as dust and dirt,

to gravitate through'the reticulate bottom to the ground, thereby cleaning the feed board or trough. When the boards '21 and 28 are released,

the springs 3| and 32 return them to the positions shownin the drawings.

The hopper or -funnel 1'8 serves to deliver thefeed that is required for dailyconsumption by the stock, and the hopper 18 serves to deliver a special ration that is required for the health and development of'the livestock. For this latter purpose, a panel 33 is secured'to the :cross rail l5 and depends therefrom. 'This panel 33 forms the front of the hopper or chute l8 and terminates ashort distance above the bottom plate 21 and in 'proximltyto the bottom of the chute 18 to provide-iasrestricted throat '34," which communicates-rwiththe trough ."formed by said plate 'tandthe abutment -29. Thexpanel 3'3is providedll. In said opennear the top with elongated openings 35, through which are arranged to extend bolts having wing nuts 36. It is believed clear without further illustration that cap screws or other suitable fastening means may be substituted for the wing nuts 36. The panel is adjustable by means of the wing nuts or cap screws to vary the area of the throat 34 and is locked in position of adjustment by said wing nuts or cap screws.

The special feed in this hopper IBgraVitates to and supplies the trough with the feed required. This feeding of the special diet is limited in quantity and is regulated by the length of time the stock has eaten of it. Thereafter, access to the trough containing the special feed is barred and this is accomplished by a flap valve 31 that is secured to a rod 38 extending through the unit hutch and provided on the outside of one of the walls I! with a lever arm 39 or other suitable means for operating same and the valve to open or closed position. Preferably the rod 38 is friction fitted'in the hutch so that, when the valve is moved to open position, it will remain in such position for the period of time required for the stock to have consumed its predetermined allotment. Thereupon, the attendant operates the lever arm to close access to the trough through the valve 31, at which time the valve rests upon the abutment member 29. An adjoining unit 45 preferably abuts the hutch just described. As many successive units may be. added, as desired. Each successive unit may have its valve control rod 46 connected to the next previous valve control rod, as suggested by the coupling 41.

The usual water pipe 40, with usual means for the stock to obtain water therefrom, is pro vided in the hutch.

It will be noted that, by the meanshel'einabove described, the feed board or feed trough may be quicklycleaned, without having to open or reach into the hutch. Such cleaning operation can be entirely done from without the hutch.

A prime objective in the design of the flap 31' is to facilitate the adding of subsequent or additional units to form a line of hutches. That is, hutch rows can be made indefinite in length and the operation of all the fiap'valves in each row of hutches may be operated simultaneously by the single lever means 39.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is,.of course, subject to modifications, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications that mayfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A hutch comprising a substantially rectangular enclosure. a partition dividing the enclosure into two compartments, and each compers oo-operating with said abutments to form troughs, a flap member to open and close access to one of said troughs, and means to operate said flap member.

2. A hutch comprising an enclosure having front and rear frame members and side members and a reticulate bottom, a partition within said enclosure dividing same into two compartments, each compartment having an opening in the front, a hopper secured in each opening of said compartments, an abutment member in each compartment, shelves siidable relative to the bottoms of said hoppers and co-operating with said abutments to form troughs, a panel secured to partment provided with an opening, hoppers;

secured in said openings and extending beyond the front of the enclosure, a panel secured to the front of the enclosure cooperating with one of said hoppers to form the front thereof and provide at the bottom thereof a restricted throat, abutment members within said compartments, a a

one of said frame members forming the front of one of-said'hoppers and providing at the bottom thereof .a restricted throat, a flap to open and closeaccess to one of said troughs. said flap in closed position resting against said abutment, and means to operate said flap, said flap being maintained in closed position by said means.

3. A hutch comprising an enclosure having front and rear frame sections and side sections, the front section thereof provided with spaced openings, a hopper secured in each said opening, abutments within said enclosure, movable bottoms for said hoppers co-operating with said abutments to form troughs, a panel depending from said front frame section co-operating with one of said hoppers to form the front thereof and provide at the bottom thereof a restricted throat, a flap member to open and close said trough, a rod on which said flap member is mounted, and means to operate said rod.

4. A hutch comprising an enclosure having front and rear sections and side sections, the front section provided with-openings, a hopper secured in each of said openings, abutment members within said enclosure, slide plates forming bottoms for said hoppers, the inner ends of said plates co-operating with said abutments to form troughs, a panel depending from the front section of the enclosure forming the front wall of one of said hoppers and providing a throat at the bottom of said hopper, and a flap valve to open and close the trough communicating with said throat.

v5. A hutch comprising a substantially rectangular frame forming an enclosure having a reticulate bottom, the front frame section having openings, hoppers secured in said openings, a panel forming the front of one of said hoppers and providing at the bottom thereof a throat, said panel being adjustable to vary the area of the throat, abutment members in said enclosure, bottom members for said hoppers co-operating with saidabutment members to form troughs, one 1 ofsaid troughs communicating with throat of one of said hoppers, a flap member to open and close said trough, and means to operate said flap mem ber. 6. A hutch comprising an enclosurehaving an opening in the front thereof, a hopper secured in said opening, adjustable means co-operating with said hopper to provide a discharge throat therefrom, an abutment member in said enclosure, a slidable plate forming the bottom of said hopper and co-operating with said abutment to form a trough with which the throat in said hopper V communicates, spring means for holding said plate in engagement with said abutment, and a valve to open and close said trough. '7'. A hutch unit comprising an enclosure having members insaidencl'osure and above the bottom movable bottornlrnember .for each of said hopthereof, slidableplates forming the bottoms of 5 said hoppers and co-operating with said abutment members to form troughs, spring means to hold said plates against said abutment members, a panel secured over the front of one of said openings and forming the front of one of said hoppers, the lower end of said panel being spaced from the slidable plate and the bottom of the hopper to provide a throat communicating with a trough, said panel being adjustable to vary the area of the throat, a flap to open and close said trough and means to operate said fiap.

8. A hutch comprising an enclosure having a plurality of openings, a hopper in one of said openings for normal feed and a hopper in the other of said openings for special feed, removable bottoms for said hoppers, abutment members for limiting the inward movement of said bottoms and co-operating with said bottoms to provide troughs, a panel depending from the front of said enclosure and forming the front wall of said special ieed hopper, means forming a closure 101* said special feed trough, and manual means to an erate said closure means to open position, said means operable to closed position when released.-

MERIJN H. BROSSIA.

REFERENCES CITED 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,017,758 Howell Feb. 20, 1912 1,036,882 Moore Aug. 27, 1912 1,286,676 Little Dec. 3, 1918 1,491,210 Steinback Apr. 22, 1921 2,206,383 Adams July 2, 1940 

